Invest in You!
Interested in financially investing in something but do not really have enough means to do so (or you assume so)? Day-dreaming about yourself running businesses and investments while planning for that vacation you have always wanted with your family and friends? If you are, just like most of us, going to the office daily, working hard to get by paycheck-to-paycheck and only have enough savings for emergency funds, you’ve got a long way to go to achieve that dream of yours. But hey, it is possible! The word “investment” would have probably stunned you one way or another; it sounds like a hefty terminology used only by businessmen and entrepreneurs, doesn’t it? But it sure does sound pretty cool and upscale.
Investment is defined in many ways and understood in much more angles. It doesn’t have to be purely about money or cash, and doesn’t have to be immediately started in bonds or real estate either. You can start in small things, and with baby steps – you can start in YOU!
To invest is to commit in order to earn a financial return, that’s in accord with Merriam-Webster’s definition. Now according to Investopedia, an investment is an asset or item acquired with the goal of generating income or appreciation. Investment and related topics have been widely discussed nowadays, both online and offline, with the introduction of an increasing number of financial products and services that are connected to it, be it via banking, where it tackles a wide variety of services designed to assist individuals or businesses in increasing associated wealth, or through insurance products, which offer cash equivalents to policy holders depending on the type of the policy and are set with fairly high variations flexibly attracting more prospects.
It is essential to understand, however, that beyond its economic definition, investment means doing one thing now in anticipation of another thing or something better in the future. Beyond money or cash, investment can be in different forms, such as emotion, time, energy, attention, etc. Hence, in many ways, more than financial, YOU can invest in anything, especially in yourself.
Believe it or not, we tend to be hard on ourselves for not doing enough, not working hard enough, not reaching high enough, not accomplishing enough, not becoming better enough, and so on. For most of us, especially in recent generations, high personal expectations and self nitpicking have been hindering us from seeing the road ahead and paralyzing us from taking the next steps to achieve our goals – to be better, and help make the world better. For sure you want to be richer, but getting more money would only make sense if we’d be spending our wealth in a better place with our children and grand kids in the future.
And so aside from investing financially, you would definitely want to invest in yourself as well, to live longer and with enough energy to, again, live with a better version of yourself and see the world become better. But how do you actually invest in yourself? What would it cost you to start doing so?
Health is Wealth
As cliché as it can be, it still is not understood as much as it shall be. Staying healthy will help you keep moving and fully functioning for the achievement of your goals and for your family. When was the last time you actually had yourself checked by a physician, not counting the ones mandated by your employer or your new hire medical examination? Are you sure your vision is still 20/20? Are you still on schedule with your dentist? Explore new ways to enhance or secure your health – there are new sachet insurance products which can catch you when you fall from expenses, only when you need them the most at unbelievably low prices – do check them out. Take that vitamin you only take when you feel like you’d be under the weather the following day. Be more proactive when it comes to your own vitality.
Heart your Art
For sure your brain has somehow retained an art in you, in case you’re not actually an artist. What would you love to do if you do not have to work to earn money? What triggers your creativity and gives you mysteriously endless source of strength to keep you up all night just to finish an output of love and devotion? What would you love to do on a weekend if you have all the materials that you might need, say a canvass, paint brush, or maybe some kind of steel? While you may not believe that it’s never too late to do something you love, you don’t really have to just pour your one hundred percent attention to your art. You don’t even have to leave your job to be able to feel the excitement in finishing an artwork again, be it a painting, a sculpture, a sand art, a poem, or a mix or combination of any. Promise to take some time off per year to just let the creativity flow through your veins. It will certainly be worth your while and money. Share the energy you’ve gathered with the people around you to keep the vibe up all year round.
Got Talent
Yes, you have a talent, and if you have not discovered it yet, then you may not have explored enough. There are more than sufficient YouTube videos to help you explore what you can do well, be it singing, dancing, writing, playing the piano, or even ballet, who knows? Same as pouring your heart out for your art, you certainly can express your thoughts through any of these skills as well. Take all the chance you can get in other venues in your life to showcase your talent – yup, join that group performance in your office event… it will be unforgettable!
Feed your Brain
Aside from enrolling to online or short courses, there are a lot of simpler things you can do to feed your brain, or your neurons, actually. Read! Dust off one book in your house and finish it within the entire year – this doesn’t sound so difficult, but trust me, only a few can actually completely read a book in a year, excluding school and office books, of course. Attend free seminars, and if you do not know where to find them, look for government websites and check the free sessions that fall during your free time. Or go to the municipal hall for the list of free local/regional seminars and training sessions which you can certainly take advantage of. Who knows when you might need skills in curing pork belly?! You can also take a break from your usual Netflix or Koreanovela series and switch the channel to National Geographic or History. Believe me, it is more fun than you thought it would be. I mean, how can you not be amazed in a tiny snake swallowing an entire chicken alive?
Shake your Wardrobe
Invest in new clothes which can help take your business look a notch higher. Impress your boss one Monday morning with your new dress-to-impress look or dress-to-kill attire. When you’re inspired from within, it can easily spread the vibes once you showcase how you feel through your aura, attitude, and last but not the least – attire. Show them that you’re ready for the next phase, especially if you’re coming from a struggle, a challenging sales month, or even after a heartbreak. In times when you’re not necessarily inspired, but feel the need for a change, a sharp makeover would probably do the trick. Upgrading your wardrobe will trigger your inner self to be inspired, confident, and empowered, and will attract positive energy around. After all, the word “invest” comes from the Italian word “investire”, which means “to clothe” or its Latin origin “vestis” which means “garment”. So go buy that piece you have always adored.
According to Alan Cohen in one of his books (and he puts these together beautifully), the key factor is not what you want, but why you want it. Life is more about expansion than settling. Your desire for a better life is not a sign of greed, but natural growth. The current of evolution keeps moving life to more sophisticated and joyful levels.
In an economic sense, an investment is the purchase of goods that are not consumed today but are used in the future to create wealth. In finance, an investment is a monetary asset purchased with the idea that the asset will provide income in the future or will later be sold at a higher price for a profit. As a better “you” constitutes to a better “us”, it is without a doubt investing for your own happiness and improvement is neither selfish nor narcissistic, but wise. Investing in one’s self is not far from investing financially and in economic sense. So let’s do this, invest in You!
If you have questions about this article, please write to cpguanzon@gdfi.ph.
Referrences:
Relax into Wealth by Alan Cohen
http://www.investopedia.com
http://www.merriam-webster.com
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